According to Fox News, one of the restaurant's managers, Bill Chait, has responded to complaints from patrons saying that if they don't like the surcharge to just subtract it from their tip.

"I would be lying to you if I didn't tell you this has been an aspiration to solve this issue over the years, so you don't get ruined by rising healthcare costs," Chait told KPCC, Southern California Public Radio.

The new healthcare law requires businesses with more than 50 full-time employees to provide health insurance to their employees or face a fine. The mandate was recently delayed by President Barack Obama until 2016.

Republique employs more than 80 workers and said that it didn't want to take the route of cutting employees or reducing hours, as other businesses have said they would do to survive the Obamacare mandate.

"Cutting employees has never been a good option to me, which is the option that everyone's taking," said Republique chef Walter Manzke. "You don't have dedication and commitment."